Classification - What's in a Name?

In 1820 Thomas Say gave the coyote its scientific name,
Canis latrans,
which means
“barking dog”. Of all wild canines, coyotes are by far
the most vocal and have the most complex system of
communication. To learn more about this, click
here.

The English name is derived from the word “Coyotl” from the Aztecs,
in whose tribe it played an important role in mythology.
Several of their gods and many of their leaders had names
containing some derivative of the word "coyotyl”. A few
examples are:

Coyotylnauatl – a hunting god

Heuheucoyotyl – the mischief maker

Coyolxauhqui – the moon goddess

The following is a chart showing the classification of Canis
latrans, with a brief description of how it fits into each
category:

Domain

Eukarya

cells within the organism
have a membrane-bound nucleus and multiple specialized
organelles

Kingdom

Animalia

the organism is
multicellular, heterotrophic, and has no cell walls
present

Phylum

Chordata

the organism is
bilaterally symmetrical, highly cephalized,
triploblastic, has a complete digestive tract, and has a
notochord, a dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal pouches, an
endostyle, and a post-anal tail present at some point in
the life cycle

Class

Mammalia

has hair, is
homeothermic, has sweat, sebaceous and mammary glands to
provide nourishment for offspring, has a jaw that
consists of a single bone, and has facial muscles and
lips present

Order

Carnivora

Preys on other animals as
a primary source of nourishment

Family

Canidae

Have five toes on the
forefeet and four toes on the hindfeet, non-retractile
claws, and often form packs with social hierarchy
systems

Genus

Canis

A group that
includes coyotes, jackals, wolves, and domestic dogs

Species

Canis latrans

a mid-sized canine
that can live in a variety of habitats and is incredibly
adaptive

DNA analysis has determined that wolves, Canis
lupus, descended from coyotes, which have a more
primitive anatomy. Fossil records also show that
coyotes predate wolves by several thousand years. The
oldest coyote remains have been found in New Mexico, while
wolves appear to have went north over time. The
closest relative of the coyote is the red wolf, Canis
rufus, which is severely endangered. This species fell
victim to predator control programs and was unable to cope
as well as the coyote. The small number that exist in the
wild currently are the result of intensive programs of
reestablishment. The following is a phylogenetic tree
showing the relation between several of the most well-known
of the family Canidae.

Western coyotes are usually a mixture of
variegated browns, black and off-white, while coyotes
from farther east tend to be light brown-gray.
Coloration is largely dependent on the geographic
location and habitat of the specific population.
They resemble a medium-sized dog, but with thinner legs
and smaller feet. Their eyes are round with yellow
irises, and the have bushy tails that can be used as an
indicator of mood and health, much like with a domestic
dog. Coyotes usually weigh twenty to fifty lbs at
maturity, but the average is around twenty-five. Males
are usually heavier than females and often coyotes
living at higher altitudes and in cooler climates are
larger than their lowland counterparts. Eastern
coyotes are also substantially larger than their western
counterparts, and have been compared in build to German
shepherds. This sub-species is thought to be slightly
more closely related to the wolf.